Pressing machine



Y Dec. 23, 1941. G. w. JOHNSON v 2,267,467

PRESSING MACHINE vFiled oct. 1o, 1958 5 sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR GBFGE W.JOHNSON NEYS' Dec. 23, 1941. G. w. JOHNSON PRESSING MACHINE 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. l0, 1958 www R S Jv E 0N N T H O No WJ T A mW.Amm E G Dec. 23, 1941. G. w. JOHNSON PRESSING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5Filed Oct. lO, 1958 lNvENToR GEORGE W. JOHNSON ATTORNEY? Patented Dec.23, 194,1y

PBESSING MACHINE George W. Johnson, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to TheAmerican Laundry Machinery Company, .1 Norwood, Ohio, a corporation ofOhio Application october 1o, 193s, serial No. 234ml (c1. .is-41) 9Claims.

-inis invention relates to improvements in pressing machines, andparticularly to operating and control mechanism therefor.

This is concerned with a type of press in which a movable pressingmember, as for instance a pressing head, is mounted in a frame andcontrolled by a lever and in which an energy storing unit is soconnected between the head control lever and the frame that it exertslittle or no eiect upon the head controlling lever when the press isopen, but upon closing of the press the energy storing unit is placed insuch a position that it is rotatable about a point so that it exerts itsstored energy on the head controlling lever in a manner to produce heavypressure between the pressing members. Very emcient action in such apressing machine is obtained if upon closing of the pressing head to aself-closed position the energy storing unit is moved to such a pointthat the energy stored therein automatically moves the unit to pressureapplying position. However in such a machine where the energy storingunit is suiiiciently strong to exert a very heavy pressure between thepressing members, `the operator is likely to crush her hand if the handshould be lying between the pressing members when the force of, theenergy storing unit is applied in pressing direction. An object of thepresent invention is to provide a safety two hand control to keep bothhands of the operator occupied until the pressing head is safe closedand the energy storing unit is moved tothe critical position where itautomatically completes its own movement to pressure applying position.

Another object of the present invention is to utilize the energy storingunit to open the press and to supply power means for moving the energystoring unit to that point where it is effective to cause press opening.

The invention also consists of various structural features andarrangements necessary to carry out the above deiined objects and thesame will be more fully described in the specification and illustratedin the drawings.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a pressing machineembodying one form of my invention and showing in full lines the headopen position of the parts and in dot-dash lines showing an intermediatesafe closed position of the head and the parts of the energy storingunit; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the energy storing unit, with theparts in the full line position of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an end elevation ofthe same machine showing all parts in the pressure applied position;Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of the energy storing unit, with the partsin the intermediate safe closed position shown by the dash-dot lines inFig. 1: Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view( of the energy storing unitshowing the parts in the pressure applied position of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 isa sectional view taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. l but showing the partsin the intermediate position represented by the dash-dot lines of Fig.1; Fig. I is a sectional view taken on the line 1--1 of Fig. 1: Fig. 8is an end elevation of another modiiication embodying my invention; Fig.9 is a diagrammatic view of the parts of the energy storing unit of Fig.8 when the head is in open position; `while Fig. 10 is a diagrammaticview of the same parts showingA in full lines the pressure appliedposition of Fig. 8 and in dotdash lines the intermediate position of theparts corresponding to a safe closed condition Vof the press. n

For purposes of simplification I have hereinafter used the word springin connection with the description of the energy storing unit in thespeciiication and claims intending to indicate by that term not only aspring such as that disclosed in the drawings but anyv other resilientdevice performing substantially the same function, such as for instancea fluid iilled bellows or a cylinder and piston device.

My invention is concerned with a pressing machine wherein one of thepressing members, such as the pressing head illustrated, is controlledby a lever pivoted in the frame. The energy storing unit comprises aspring part and a link part, one end of the spring part being connectedwith one end of the link part to form a reaction point4 there, the otherend of the link part having a pivot connection with either the headcontrolling lever or the frame and the other end of the spring parthaving an anchorage on either the frame or the head controlling leverproviding always that it is the other one of these members which doesnot carry the link part pivot. The parts are so arranged that the springis always held stressed and is never allowed to expend but a smallfraction of its energy. When the head controlling lever is in openposition the above mentioned reaction point is substantially alined withthe pivot point of the head controlling lever. As the head is closed thelink part pivot and the other end of the spring are brought substan-4tially into alinement and the parts are moved to such a position thatthe spring exerts a turning moment about the link part pivot so as toautomatically swing the energy storing unit to a position at an angle tothe head controlling lever where the force of the spring is exerted onthis lever to hold the press closed under heavy pressure. Thearrangement of the parts is such that this automatic swinging of theenergy storing unit to pressure applying position occurs :lust after thehead reaches safe closed position where an operators hand cannot becaught between the pressing members. My invention is applicable to thistype of pressing machine where the energy storing unit is placed in thelower portion of the frame as shown in Figs. 1 to 7, in which case itacts on a secondary head controlling lever, or where as in Figs. 8 to 10the energy storing unit is in the upper portion of the frame and actdirectly upon the head carrying lever itself. My invention operates insubstantially the same way whether a compression spring is used in theenergy storing unit as in Figs. 1 to 7 or whether a tension spring isused as shown in Figs. 8 to 10.

My invention is here shown in connection with a type of pressing machinegenerally used in laundry and garment ironing and pressing operations.In the modiiication of Figs. 1 to 7 a frame II supports a pressing bedI2 which if desired may be made adjustable relative to the frame. In theform shown a pedestal I3 in the frame has a threaded connection at Ilawith the pressure pin Il engaging the bed. The lower end of pin I 4 haskeyed to it a notched wheel I5. Rotatably mounted on the pin I4 is anarm I6 which is manipulated by the handle IGa and carries a pin I1normally biased out of engagement the handle I6a relative movement ofthe threaded parts at I 4a is produced so as to adjust the bed up ordown. The bed carries guiding pins 20 which move in suitable bores inpedestal I3 and springs 2l bias the bed downwardly. The pressing framealso carries a head lever 22 pivotally mounted in the frame at 23 andcarrying at its forward end the pressing head 24 which by head leveroscillation moves into and out of engagement with the pressing bed I2. Arod 25 is pivotally connected with the head lever at 26 and extendsdownwardly into the frame where its clevis end 25a is pivotallyconnected to the head controlling lever 21 at the point 28. This levercomprises two lever bars 21a pivotally mounted in the frame on the axisF.

The energy storing unit comprises the spring part 29 and the link part30. The spring 29 in vthis form is a very heavy compression spring whichis mounted between yoke 3| and the collar 32a of rod 32 and held inplace by the nut 32h. The yoke 3| is pivotally connected to the leverbars 21a on the axis R. The rod 32 is pivotally connected between thearms of bifurcated end of link 30 on the axis R. The link 30 comprisesangularly related parts which at their other end provide two pivotalconnections with the frame, one on each side alined on the axis Ff.carries a branch 39a having a resilient cushion 30h which engages a.portion of the frame to limit the movement of the link in acounterclockwise direction as shown in the various views. It will beunderstood that the parts of this energy storing unit are originallyassembled under very heavy compression so that the spring exerts a forceof the order of several thousand pounds. Indeed. this spring may be soarranged that the The link pressure exerted between the pressing membersis 5,000 pounds or more.

In the open position of the head as shown in Fig. 2 and in full lines inFig. 1, the axes R and F substantially coincide. If desired these axescould be absolutely alined and the pressing head could be opened by acounterweight or -another spring as is customary. However in the form ofthe device here shown a small portion of the energy of spring 29 isutilized to open the pressing head and to hold it in open position. Tothis end the axis R is positioned to one side of the axis F as best seenin Fig. 2 so that the spring exerts a tendency to cause relativeapproach between the axes R and R' with a lever arm approximately equalto RF. Thus a turning moment is exerted on lever 2l to move it in aclockwise direction and this is counteracted by the weight o1' the head,tending to move it in the opposite direction. When these two forcesbalance the head is in a stable open position'. As the head is movedtoward closed position the parts move from the position of Fig. 2 to theposition of Fig. 4 or the dot-dash position of Fig. 1. This causesrelative approach between the axes F and R. Because the distancesbetween the axes F and R and between the points R and R aresubstantially equal little change in the condition of the spring 29occurs at this time. However because of the relationship o1 the partsand because the lever 21 is pivoted at the point F a slight compressionof spring 29 occurs as the head is closed. A critical position isreached when the axis R', when moving in a counterclockwise direction,reaches and then passes the line FR. as best illustrated in Fig. 4.Prior to this time the tendency of the spring 29 is to cause the head toopen if the same is released. When the parts reach the criticalposition, however, the head has engaged the bed so that lever 2'I canmove substantially no farther in a counterclockwise direction. Thespring 29 now exerts a turning moment on link 30 tending to rotate thelink in a clockwise direction about its pivot F with a lever arm equalto the perpendicular distance from R' to the line RF'. This causes thelink 30 to swing to the position shown in Figs. 3 and 5 where the forceof the spring is applied at the point R and at such an angle to lever 21that it exerts a very strong force tending to turn this lever in acounterclockwise direction but actually accomplishing very littlemovement of the arm except insofar as the pressing head compresses thepadding, if any, on the pressing bed. Thus the spring exerts a veryheavy pressure to hold the press closed and to produce a pressing orironing action with very little elongation of spring 29. In fact suchelongation may be of substantially the same order as the additionalcompression added to the spring above described during the closing ofthe head. It will be obvious that the adjusting means of the bed may beutilized to insure that the parts passing through the critical positionof Fig. 4 to place R' just below the line FR as the pressing headreaches safe closed position which preferably will be in actual contactwith the bed so as to expend very little of the spring energy.

Since the force of spring 29 is so great and since because of humanfallibility and wear o1' machine parts the movement of the energystoring unit to the position of Figs. 3 and 5 is likely to occur whenthe operator has a hand on the pressing bed, I have provided a safetycontrol so as to keep both hands of the operator occupied duringthepress closing operation Incidentally this same control makes theoperation of the press much easier. To this end I have provided a servomotor 33 suitably mounted on the press frame as by the pivotalconnection of cylinder 33a at the point 34 and having a piston rod 33hpivotally connected at 35 with the clevis 25a. A power stroke oi' thismotor downwardly from the position of Fig. 1 to that of Fig. 3 closesthe head to safe closed position and at the same time swings the lever21 to the position of Fig. 4 which is just past the intermediate orcritical position, after which the energy storing unit swings itself topressure applying position'.l Fluid for motor 33 is supplied throughconduit 38, valve casing 31, conduit 38. valve casing 39 and conduit`49. The parts in the two valve casings are just alike and one only willbe described, the other being given similar reference characetrs. Invalve casing 31 a normally open exhaust valve 31a and a normally closedinlet valve 31h are mounted on a common stem 3'lc for manipulation bymanual 31d. A spring normally maintains the valves in their normalpositions. It will be understood that manuals 31d and 39d are so spacedapart on the press frame as to require a hand of the operator on each ofthem to hold them in their actuated position. If either of them isreleased before the head reaches safe closed position, motor PreferablyI also provide power means for- `swinging the link 38 from the positionof Figs. 3

and to the position of Fig. 2 so as to cause press opening. This meanscomprises the servo motor 4I suitably mounted in the frame at 42 andhaving its piston rod 4Ib pivotally connected at 43 with an arm c whichis rigid with the link 30. Fluid is supplied to cylinder 4 la throughconduit 44 and valve casing 45. This casing has parts similar to thosein 31 and 39 which valve parts are manipulated by manual 45d. Obviouslya depression of manual 45d will supply motive iluid to'motor u when itis in the position of Fig. 3 so as to cause counterclockwise movement oflink 3|) carrying the axis R to a position past the axis F as shown inFig. 2 where the force of spring 29 is available to cause opening of thepress head.

In the modication of Figs. 8 to 10, the press frame 46 has pivotallymounted thereon at 4l a head lever 48 which carries the head 49 into andout of engagement with the bed 58 which is mounted on the frame 48 andmay be provided with an adjustment shown in Figs. 1 and '7, if desired.'I'he axis 41 corresponds to the axis F of the first describedmodification. Here the energy storing unit is mounted directlyvon therear end of the head lever 48. The energy storing unit comprises thespring 5| and the link 52 which are pivoted together on the axis R. Theother end oi link 52 is pivotally mounted at R on the rear end of lever48. The lower end of spring 5| is mounted at F', on the bracket 46a offrame 48. The position of the parts with the head open is shown in Fig.9 and here again the point R is to one side of the point F so that theeffect of spring 5I is to cause opening of the press head and is eectiveto hold the press open. The movement ci' link 52 in a clockwisedirection about its pivot R is here limited by the 'stop member 48a onthe head lever. As the head is moved to closed position link 52 moveswith the lever 48 until the dotdash position of Fig. 10 is reachedbecause up until this time the eiect of spring 5I is to hold link 52against the stop 48a. Because of the relationship between the partsthere is a slight elongation of spring 5| during this movement. Thepoint R' gradually approaches F' and the critical point is reached whenR' passes F' or slightly thereafter when the pull of the spring is at anangle to the line RR' such that spring 5| tends to rotate the link 52 ina counterclockwise direction from the dot-dash position of Fig. l0 tothe full, line position of Figs. 8 and 10. The parts come to rest whenthe points R, R' and F' are in the same straight line.

" As in the former modification, a motor 33 is provided to move the headto safe closed position while at the same time moving the energy storingunit to the critical position described in connection with Fig. 10, thatis to the point where the spring 5I will automatically cause rotation oflink 52 tothe pressure applying position. This motor has its piston rod33h pivotally connected with bell crank 53 which is pivotally mounted inthe frame at 54. 'I'he other arm of the bell crank is pivotallyconnected at 55 with a link 56 which in turn is pivotally connected tothe head lever at 51. The supply of iiuid to motor 33 is the same asthat already described in connection with the first modification andrequires depression of manuals 31d and 38d coincidentally until the headhas reached safe closed position and the parts of the energy storingunit have passed the critical position where the link and spring rotateautomatically to the full pressure position. Release is by means ofmotor 4I acting through lever 58 and link 59. The supply for this motoris through valve casing 45 upon depression of manual 45d in a manneranalogous to that already described for the release oi' the firstdescribed press.

Referring to Fig. 1, which illustrates the press open, the operatordepresses the two manuals to open valves 3l, 39 and permit the flow ofpressure to servo motor 33, the piston of which advances and moves thepressing head toward closed position, the parts of the energy storingunit at the same time moving toward the position shown in dot-dash linesin Fig. 1 and in full lines Fig. 4. Up to the time the head reaches safeclosed position, the tendency of the spring of the energy storing unitis to return the head to open position, but the power of the servo motor33 preponderates. But if the operator removes her hands from one or bothof the manuals of the valves 31, 39, before the press reaches safeclosed position, the servo motor 33 will evacuate its pressure and theenergy storing unit will return the head to open position. If the handsare not removed, the head finally reaches safe closed position and theparts of the energy storing unit move beyond the critical position,finally turning to the position shown in Fig. 3, applying full pressurebetween the head and bed. I'he hands can now be removed from the controlvalves 31. 39 and the press will remain closed. To open the press valve45 is opened and pressure permitted to flow to the servo motor 4I, whichreturns the parts of the energy storing unit past the critical positionreferred to until the tendency thereof is exerted on the original sideof the critical position, thereby opening the press.

What I claim is:

l. A pressing machine comprising a frame member, a work supporting bed,a lever member pivoted inthe frame member, a pressing head operatedthereby and movable toward and from engagement with the bed, an\energystoring unit comprising a heavily stressed spring part adapted to exerta heavy pressure and a link part, one end of said spring part beingconnected at a reaction point with one end of said link part, the otherend of said link part being pivoted to one of said members, the otherend of said spring part having an anchorage on the other of saidmembers, the distance between said pivots being approximately equal tothe distance between said anchorage and said reaction point, saidreaction point being substantially alined with said lever member pivotwhen said head is in open position, one of said parts being movable withsaid lever member as said head closes to cause relative approach of saidanchorage and said link part pivot approximately to alinement, safetytwo-hand controlled means operatively connected with said head and withsaid lever member and requiring coincidental use of both hands of anoperator for causing movement of said head from open position to a safeclosed position close to said bed and for coincidentally moving saidlever member to place said anchorage to one side of said link part pivotwhere said spring part is effective to cause rotation of said energystoring unit about said link part pivot to a position to cause saidspring part to apply pressure where one of said parts is connected withsaid lever member, and said energy storing unit being rotatablereversely to permit the press to open.

2.. A pressing machiney comprising a frame member, a work supportingbed, a lever member pivoted in the frame member, a pressing headoperated thereby and movable toward and from engagement with the bed, anenergy storing unit comprising a heavily stressed spring part adapted toexert a heavy pressure and a link part, one end of said spring partbeing connected at a reaction point with one end of said link part,theother end of said link part being pivoted to one of said members, theother end of said spring part having an anchorage on the other of saidmembers, the distance between said pivots being approximately equal tothe distance between said anchorage and said reaction point, saidreaction point being substantially alined with said lever member pivotwhen said head is in open position, one of said parts being movable withsaid lever member as said head closes to cause 'relative approach ofsaid anchorage and said link part pivot approximately to alinement,power means operatively connected with said head and with said levermember for causing movement of said head from open position to a safeclosed position close to said bed and for coincidentally moving saidlever member to place said anchorage to one side of said link part pivotwhere said spring part is effective to cause rotation of said energystoring unit about said link part pivot to a position to cause saidspring part to apply pressure where one of said parts is connected withsaid lever member, safety two-hand control means for said power meansrequiring coincidental use of both hands of the operator to keep saidpower means energized until said head storing unit being rotatablereversely to permit the press to open.

3. A pressing machine comprising a frame member, a work supporting bed,a lever member pivoted in the frame member, a pressing head operatedthereby and movable toward and from engagement with the bed, an energystoring unit comprising a heavily stressed spring part adapted to exerta heavy pressure and a link part, one end of said spring part beingconnected at a reaction point with one end of said link part, the

other end of said link part being pivoted to one oi said members, theother end of said spring part having an anchorage on the other of saidmembers, the distance between said pivots being approximately equal tothe distance between said anchorage and said reaction point, saidreaction point being approximately alined with said lever member pivotand slightly to one side thereof when said head is in open position sothat said spring part is effective to swing said lever member about itspivot to hold said head open, one of said parts being movable with saidlever member as said head closes to cause relative approach of saidanchorage and said link part pivot approximately to alinement, powermeans operatively connected with said head and with said lever memberfor causing movement of said head from open position to a safe closedposition close to said bed and for coincidentally moving said levermember to place said anchorage to one side of ,said link part pivotwhere said spring part is effective to cause rotation of said energystoring unit about said link part pivot to a position to cause saidspring part to apply pressure where one of said parts is connected withsaid lever member, safety two-hand control means for said power meansrequiring both hands of the operator to keep said power means energizeduntil said head reaches said safe-closed position, and power means forcausing rotation of said energy storing unit about said link part pivotto cause relative movement between said reaction point and said levermember pivot to place the former slightly to one side of the latterwhere the spring part is effective to swing said lever member about itspivot and to return said head to open position.

4. A pressing machine comprising. a frame, a work supporting bed, alever pivoted in the frame, a pressing head operated thereby 'andmovable toward and from engagement with the bed, an energy storing unitcomprising a heavily stressed spring part adapted to exert a heavypressure and a link part, one end of s'aid spring part being connectedat a reaction point with one end of said link part, the other end ofsaid link part being pivoted to said frame, the other end of said springpart having an anchorage ron said lever, the distance between saidpivots being approximately equal to the distance between reaches saidsafe-closed position, and said energy said anchorage and said reactionpoint, said reaction point being substantially alined with said leverpivot when said head is in open position, said spring part being movablewith said lever as said head closes to cause relative approach of saidanchorage and said link part pivot approximately to alinement, powermeans operatively connected with said head and with said lever memberfor causing movement of said head from open position to a safe closedposition close to said bed and for coincidentally moving said lever toplace said anchorage to one side of said link part pivot where saidspring part is effective to means energized until said headreaches saidsafe-closed position, and said energy storing unit being rotatablereversely to permit the press to open.

5. A pressing machine comprising a frame, a work supporting bed, a leverpivoted in the frame, a pressing head operated thereby and movabletoward and from engagement with the bed, an energy storing unitcomprising a heavily stressed spring part adapted to exert a heavypressure and a link part, one end of said spring part being connected ata reaction point with one end of said link part, the other end of saidllink part being pivoted to said lever, the other end of said springpart having an anchorage on said frame, `the distance between saidpivots being approximately equal to the distance between said anchorageand said reaction point, said reaction point being substantially alnedwith said lever pivot when said head is in open position, said link partbeing movable with said lever as said head closes to cause relativeapproach of said anchorage and said link part pivot approximately toalinement, power means operatively connected with said head and withsaid lever member for causing movement of saidl head from open positionto a safe closed position close to said bed and for coincidentallymoving said lever to place said anchorage to one side of said link` partpivot where said spring part is effective to cause rotation of saidenergy storing unit about said link part pivot to a position to causesaid spring part to apply pressure where said link part is connectedwith said lever, safety twohand control means for said power meansrequiring both hands of the operator to keep said power means energizeduntil said head reaches said safe-closed position, and said energystoring unit being rotatable reversely to permit the press to open.

6. A pressing machine comprising relatively movable pressing elements,an energy storing unit having two positions, in one of which positionssaid unit tends to cause relative separation of said elements and in theother of which positions said unit tends to cause relative approach ofsaid elements, said unit having link and spring parts respectivelyconnected to the two pressing elements, and servomotor means operativelyconnected both to at least one` of said elements and to one of saidparts of said unit and arranged when operated to close said elements andto move said unit to said other position.

7. A pressing machine comprising relatively movable pressing elements,an energy storing unit having two positions, in one of which positionssaid unit tends to cause relative separation of said elements and in theother of which positions said unit tends to cause relative approach ofsaid elements, said unit having link and spring parts respectivelyconnected to the two pressing elements, servomotor means operativelyconnected both to at least one of said elements and to one of said partsof said unit and arrangedI when operated to close said elements and tomove said unit to said other position, and separate servomotor meansoperatively connected 'tothe other of said parts of said unit forreturning the latter to its one position whereby to open the press.

8. A pressing machine, comprising a fixed pressing element, a coactingpressing element movable relative thereto from an open position througha safe-closed position to a fully closed position in which ironingpressure is exerted upon an article between said elements, a stressedspring having one end operatively connected with said ilxed element andhaving its other end op, eratively connected with said movable element,said spring being provided with a mounting which enables it to be movedrelative to said movable element to opposite sides' of a criticalposition wherein said movable element is in safe closed position andwhere said spring exerts no force tending to move said movable elementin either direction, said spring when on the rst side of said criticalposition tending to move said movable element toward open position andwhen on the second side thereof tending to move it toward fully closedposition, power means operatively connected with said movable elementfor moving it in the press closing direction to a position slightlybeyond safe closed position, and control means for said power meansrequiring coincidental -use of two hands of an operator, whereby uponrelease, of the control means beforev the safe closed psition of themovable pressing member is reached, said spring opens the press.

9. A pressing machine of the character described in claim 8, includingpower means for moving said spring from the second to the rst side ofits critical position and adapted for operation, when the press is fullyclosed, to release the press.

GEORGE W. JOHNSON.

